The Influence of Humanism in the Renaissance

The Influence of Humanism in the RenaissanceFor centuries, people looked to religion for the answers to their greatest questions. The Church had a firm grip of how people viewed the world. God's will was to be followed without question and any attempt to explain a phenomenon without God's involvement was heresy. When the Renaissance began to spread across Europe, the qualities of humanism became more prominent. Scientific and rational analysis was becoming of great interest compared to supernatural explanations. Renaissance world-view can be characterized by a growing humanistic orientation that can be demonstrated by analyzing cultural artifacts from the era.

Humanism created an interest in the Classical Latin and arts of past Greece and Rome. Humanist teachings focused on Latin and Greek grammar, rhetoric, poetry, ethics, and history. Paintings and sculptures once again began to focus on the beauty of the human body. A subtle sign of humanism's rising influence is Lorenzo Ghiberti's bronze panel, The Sacrifice of Isaac. The image was biblical in nature, but was also used to show the perfection of the human body. As Abraham is preparing to sacrifice Isaac, the observer takes notice of how Isaac is place on a pedestal. His nude body, while slightly leaning away from Abraham, is mostly erect, showing the sculpted muscular structure of what could be considered a perfect male specimen. Although it's possible to see the panel is a pagan view, the fact that it was chosen and Ghiberti given the contract shows how humanist ideals were already beginning to work their way into the world view of the time. What is regarded as definite step in Renaissance taste is Donatello's statue David. The statue is the first freestanding nude since Roman antiquity. According to an analysis by Professors Lawrence Cunningham and John Reich, Donatello wanted to show the beauty of David's adolescent form wearing only greaves and a shepherd's hat (Cunningham 12)....

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

...﻿David C
Literature 12
November 4th, 2013
RenaissanceHumanismHumanism of the renaissance period was the predominant movement that revolutionized philosophical, intellectual, and literary customs. It first originated in Italy during the fourteenth century and eventually spread to other major areas in Europe such as Greece. One of the most important changes humanism introduced was a secular viewpoint of history; this was done so by endorsing a nonreligious perspective on history. Humanism not only ended the dominance of the church, but it also eventually had a profound impact on everyday life, especially education. Individualism, humanist philosophy, and the printing press were major components of humanism that made it a crucial influence on Europe during the renaissance period. Without the introduction of a revolutionary movement like humanism, Europe may have continued to remain stagnant with its development in terms of philosophy, literature, and the arts (Humanism in the Renaissance).
The period from the fourteenth century to the seventeenth advocated the liberation of individuals, which meant that more emphasis was placed on personal beliefs. This led to a more diverse spectrum of ideas in society and increased personal development, hence the term “individualism”. Individualism first began...

...Humanism and the Renaissance
Founded on the ideals of Italian scholar and poet Francesco Petrarca during the late fourteenth century, Renaissancehumanism centered itself on humanity's potential for achievement. Although God is credited for creating the universe, human beings are the ones credited for developing and sustaining it. The shift was away from understanding the world through faith and towards a broader intellectual and scientific understanding of it.
A humanist, in this context, was simply a teacher whose curriculum focused on the liberal arts. By the mid-fifteenth century, this curriculum evolved to include rhetoric, grammar, poetry, history and moral philosophy (or ethics). Together these individual disciplines comprised the core of humanistic studies. But the ideas introduced were not altogether new.
Humanists relied on primary sources such as the classical literature of Greece and Rome. What is remarkable, however, are the great lengths to which the movement sought to recover and reintroduce old ideas to the present times. It is remarkable when considering that after the fall of Rome in the fifth century much of the texts housing ideas central to humanistic thought were virtually lost or buried in obscurity.
Ancient ideas within these classical texts were considered crucial because humanists considered the ancient world the pinnacle of human achievement and thought its human accomplishments should...

...﻿
An Examination of the relationship between a humanist theory and three art works from the Renaissance.
Art History 3.7 (91488)
Cassandra Breen 13BT
10 July 2013
TASK ONE
The Humanism movement occurred during the 14th and early 15th century in Italy, and later spread to the rest of Europe becoming known as the Renaissance. Writers, politicians, scholars and artists engaged in the movement, which was developed in response to the scholastic conventions at the time. The conventions of education emphasised a utilitarian, practical, pre-professional and scientific studies for job preparation, by men. Humanists reacted against this utilitarian approach seeking to create a citizenry, including women, able to speak and write with eloquence and thus able to engage the civic life of their communities. The humanistic approach was accomplished through the study of humanities including grammar, rhetoric, history, poetry and moral philosophy.
Humanism aimed to revive the cultural and moral philosophy of classical antiquity. The movement was largely founded on the ideals of Italian scholar and poet, Francesco Petrarca. These ideals centred on humanity’s potential for achievement.
The theory of Humanism revolves around several main principles that focus on the role of humans in their environment. For example, humanists believe there is no external divine intervention...

...The concept of humanism developed during the Renaissance, or "rebirth" period. Humanism and the Renaissance are an era of transition between the Middle Ages and the modern age. During the Renaissance, people became less "God Centered" and more "Human-Centered."
In previous history, art was used by the church to educate the illiterate. Even if the church did not commission the artists, they often choose to depict biblical scenes in their work. During the Renaissance, however, humanism changed the art world forever. Renaissance artists were no longer interested in painting biblical scenes and were able to create anything of their artistic will. Artists began using new techniques, such as oil painting and linear perspective. These new techniques enhanced the quality of their works. As humanism became more widespread in Europe, art steadily became more secular or spiritual.
Average looking people also entered into the artwork. As people became mindful of their of their individuality, they wanted themselves to be immortalized in art. Artists also made self-portraits or portrayed themselves in the background of their artwork. Steadily, art began to mirror reality more personally.
As humanism spread, artists became more fascinated with the human body. Donatello revived the nude as the subject of art in the...

...﻿HUMANISM IN RENAISSANCERenaissance is a term used to describe ‘rebirth’ (in French), which began in Italy in late middle age and then spread to other parts of Europe. During the Renaissance people to question the Scholastic methods of that time and their questioning resulted as the birth of humanism.
Humanism goes along with secularism in the sense that it makes humans beings, not God, the centre of attention. People began to do things because they enjoyed them rather than for God’s glory. It was responsible for the change in the medieval education system, emphasizing on rational and practical thinking. Humanism emphasizes on the importance of knowledge, as well as on the potential of the individual and civil responsibility. This concept of humanism became the core of renaissance style. It was in this age that people began to reason and think rationally. Even the term used for the Renaissance philosophers, ‘humanists’, shows how the focus of the people’s attention had shifted from Heaven and God to this world and human beings. Individualism takes humanism a step further by saying that individual humans were capable of great accomplishments. Renaissance philosophers saw humans as intelligent creatures capable of reasoning (and questioning the authority) rather than being mindless pawns helplessly...

...The Renaissance, as defined in Merriam-Webster=s dictionary, is the transitional movement in Europe between medieval and modern times beginning in the 14th century in Italy, lasting into the 17th century, and marked by a humanistic revival of classical influence expressed in a flowering of the arts and literature and by the beginnings of modern science. Many dramatic changes occurred during this time in the fields of philosophy, literature, and art. New emphasis was placed on enjoying life and the world around man, and talented individuals sought self-gratification through art and philosophy (Vary). In Italy, the Renaissance presented through literary and art themes a new humanistic conception of man. The rise of the Medici family also held a great role in the sponsorship of the arts.
Humanism was considered to be the most significant intellectual movement of the Renaissance. As its name implies, humanism was a philosophy that was characterized by its blending of the concern of the history and actions of all human beings, and their influence in the world, with religious duty (Vary). Humanists thought that every person had respect and worth and therefore commanded the respect of other people. The humanistic movement began during the early Italian Renaissance with the rediscovery of the writings of the classical Greeks and Romans, which were not only models of...

...Leah Weintruab 3/22/12
Global History 9 Renaissance DBQ
The Northern European and Italian renaissance period was a time of rebirth of Greek and roman studies, arts, and culture. The people of this time period were call humanists or people who studied Greek and Roman classics and works. The humanism movement not only influenced culture, but it also influenced how the individual was perceived. Humanists encouraged finding oneself whether it is through art, sports, learning and teaching, sciences or mathematics, and they believed one individual could achieve anything they put their minds to. (DOC. 3)
The humanists of the Renaissance greatly valued religion even thought they were more focused on the study of human nature and values (DOC. 9). Humanists took it upon themselves to be devoted members of the church and make religion a crucial aspect of their everyday lives. By becoming a more religious individual, they benefited themselves and it was encouraged of humanists to use their connection to the Church to strengthen their relationships with others.
One of the most important aspects of the Renaissance that the humanism movement influenced was art. People all over the world began to express themselves and their talents through art and the humanists’ beliefs greatly emphasized Greek and Roman art technique as well. For example, Michelangelo’s sculpture of...

...The renaissance and humanism
The middle ages were a time of ignorance and lack of progress. The church had taken over the majority of power in the western world, and feudalism kept everyone in their place so that a time continued where the people of Europe made practically no progress. Humanism is the belief that a person has the power and duty to be the best person they can be. The middle ages could have stretched on loner, but due to the black plague exterminating a third of the population, social and economic needs changed. People that did not have much power could be lifted to a higher rank simply because so many upper class people had died. It almost seems like the men and women that survived the plague were proving to god and themselves that they deserve to be alive because they had something to contribute to the new dynamic climate of the renaissance. Humanism was the most important philosophy to the renaissance because it encouraged the kind of glorification of self that was needed to get out of the dark ages.
A renaissance man was a humanist, but a humanist did not have to be a renaissance man. A renaissance man is a classic and very specific person. He must be trained in diverse skills and be good at all of them. Many higher-ranking men at this time accomplished being a renaissance man. Leonardo de Vinci was an...